John Cutliffe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Cutliffe
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John in 2018
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John Barry Cutliffe
February 8, 1962 Buncrana, County Donegal, Ireland
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| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouse(s) | Laura Marshall |
| Children | Kevin Cutliffe (2002-present) Lorcan Marshall-Cutliffe (2017-Present) |
| Parent(s) | Kevin Cutliffe (father) Alish Cutliffe (mother) |
John Cutliffe is a talented Irish musician from Buncrana, County Donegal. He was born on February 8, 1962. John is known for writing songs, producing music, and playing many instruments. He has worked in big music cities like London and Nashville, as well as in Ireland.
Contents
John's Early Life and Music
John Cutliffe grew up in Buncrana, Ireland. His parents are Kevin and Ailish Cutliffe. He went to Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana, a school in his hometown. John loved music from a young age. He was still in school when he joined his first bands. One of these bands was called Shandrum. He played with his cousin, Paul Rodden, in this band. Paul later became a long-time music partner for John.
Playing in Bands
John has played many types of music. He has performed traditional Irish music and bluegrass music. You could find him playing in many pubs across the Irish countryside. Over the years, he has also played with pop and rock bands.
The Pyros and Other Collaborations
In London, John's Irish bluegrass band, The Pyros, worked with Frank Tovey. Frank Tovey was also known as Fad Gadget. They recorded albums together for Mute Records.
John helped start The Pyros in Buncrana. This group became popular in the North West of Ireland. Different musicians played in the band over time. These included Kevin Doherty from Four Men and a Dog. Ciaran Tourish from Altan also played with them. During this time, John played with famous musicians. Some of these were Altan, Gerry O Connor, and Ted Hawkins. He also played with Henry McCullough, who was a guitarist for the band Wings.
Music Websites and Photography
John is the owner and editor of JigTime. This website shares stories about Irish and American roots music. He also worked as a Tour Manager for the Irish traditional band Altan in the U.S.
John is also a keen photographer. His photos have been featured on many websites. You can see his pictures on Rosanne Cash's site and the MerleFest site. His photos have also been used on album covers in Ireland and Nashville.
Hands Across The Water Project
In 2005, John Cutliffe worked with Andrea Zonn. They produced a CD called Hands Across The Water. This album was a special project. It brought together Celtic and American artists. The goal was to help children who lost their parents in the South East Asian tsunami.
The album had 16 songs. More than 100 musicians recorded music for it. They recorded in 30 different studios around the world. Famous artists like John Prine, Paul Brady, and Jackson Browne were on the album. Vince Gill also joined in. They all worked together on new and remixed songs. The album was released by Compass Records in Nashville.
Shyma Smiled For Me
In October 2014, John teamed up with fellow Donegal musician, Rory Gallagher. They worked on a song called "Shyma Smiled For Me". The song was released on December 5, 2014. All the money raised from the song went to children's charities in Gaza.
The idea for the charity song came from the producer and co-writer. They had visited children injured in the conflict in Gaza. These children were in hospitals in Jerusalem. John and Rory wrote the song together. Many well-known Irish and UK artists sang on it. A choir of children from Jerusalem also took part. John's son, Kevin, was also featured.
Besides John himself, the artists included Rory Gallagher, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, and Liam O Maonlai. Others were Donogh Hennessy, Honor Heffernan, Martin Tourish, and the Wee Glee Singers. The Jerusalem Children’s Choir also sang. Brian Mullan, Laurence Doherty, Clare Lindley, Claire McDaid, and Sophia Brock were also involved. Kevin and Caroline Cutliffe also contributed. The song briefly appeared on the Irish download charts in 2015.
John continues to write and produce music. He also writes for different websites and publications.
Bands John Has Played With
- The Pyros, AKA The Pyrotechnicos - bass, guitars
- Pluto - bass
- Fiveskin - bass
- Shandrum - guitar
- Frank Tovey and the Pyros- bass, guitar
- The Other Brothers - bass, guitar
- Beware of the Dog - guitar
- The Barry McGuigan Band - bass guitar
- The Whiskey Priests - bass
- The Bordercollies - bass, guitar
- No River City - bass
Discography
- Grand Union with Frank Tovey and the Pyros (musician, bass and guitars) (1991)
- Worried Men In Second Hand Suits with Frank Tovey and the Pyros (musician, bass and guitars) (1992)
- Travelling Home - Rory Mcleod (Musician, bass) (1991)
- Beware of the Dog - Beware of the Dog (musician, guitar, vocals, songwriter)
- Barr Trá - Mary Custy and Quentin Cooper (inside cover photograph)
- New Kid in Town - Ryan Holladay (cover photography)
- Hands Across The Water (2005) (Producer, photography)
- Down the Line - Ciaran Tourish (cover photography, liner notes)
- Shyma Smiled for Me (2015) (Producer, songwriter, arranger)
- Five (2016) (Producer, composer)
